Tag Archives: healthy

If summer could spill onto a plate, it might just look like this strawberry, summer corn and zucchini salad dish created by Ellise from Cowgirl Chef. So, you can have a taste of summer any time of the year.

There’s no reason to only put strawberries on the dessert tray. Sweet with a bit of acidity, California strawberries can easily star in savory dishes, too, like this one, a light summery salad made with two of the season’s other big players, corn and zucchini.

With a handheld julienne slicer or spiralizer, make long skinny noodles out of your zucchini. Put in a medium serving bowl.

Hull the strawberries, then dice them. I like to chop mine into smallish bits, about ¼-inch. Add to the bowl with the zucchini noodles.

Slice the kernels off of the corn cobs, and sprinkle on top of the zucchini and diced strawberries. Drizzle the Champagne vinaigrette on top, crumble the goat cheese and add this to the salad, too, along with the mint. Add sea salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

Champagne Vinaigrette

Put the first 4 ingredients in an old jam jar and give it a shake to blend. Add the oil and shake again. Taste for seasonings. Will keep in the fridge for about a week.

Incorporating a serving of eight strawberries into your everyday diet in a healthy way is easier than you may think! Not to mention, any meal with strawberries will be super delicious, especially this Strawberry Quinoa Fruit Salad Recipe!

We love this strawberry quinoa fruit salad with citrus vinaigrette created by our friend Kelly Pfieffer at Nosh and Nourish, and we know you’ll love it, too! Give this recipe a try next time you’re in need of a fun fruit salad recipe.

Healthy Recipe Roundup

Fresh or frozen, CA strawberries are a versatile fruit that can help you keep your healthy-eating resolutions in check. Available year-round and delicious in both sweet and savory dishes, strawberries offer a nutritional boost to any meal of the day. Look through for a healthy recipe roundup to keep you on top of your nutritional kick!

For the New Year, we’ve enlisted four of our RD ambassadors − Regan Jones, Jenna Braddock, Robin Plotkin, and Caroline Kaufman − to create a roundup of #FreshorFrozen CA strawberry healthy recipe hacks that are perfect for the whole family, from breakfast to dessert.

BREAKFAST

Strawberry Vanilla Overnight Oats

Breakfast is the perfect opportunity to get your 8-a-day of California strawberries. Here are just a few fun new recipes you can try!

If you feel too rushed to eat right, check out this recipe for Strawberry Overnight Oats from guest blogger Christy Wilson, RD!

As a registered dietitian, I have made a conscious effort to reach out to my community for the past several years to spread the word about the month-long nutrition campaign, National Nutrition Month (NNM) that the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics started back in 1973. It’s such a pleasure to do cooking demonstrations at elementary schools, speak to community organizations and find fun ways to remind everyone how eating well can benefit lives.

This year’s NNM theme is “Savor the Flavor of Eating Right,” which encourages everyone to take time to enjoy food traditions and appreciate the great flavors and social experiences food can add to our lives. One way I “savor the flavor of eating right” is by eating foods that taste good and are good for me and my family – like delicious, California Strawberries.

Did you know that only eight strawberries a day can support brain & heart health, help manage diabetes and reduce the risk of some cancers? Here are a few more fun strawberry facts:

One serving of strawberries (8 medium) has only 45 calories and more vitamin C than an orange

In just 8 strawberries you get 3 grams of heart healthy fiber and a mere 7 grams of natural sugar

Although March is a busy time for many of us, eating nutrient rich foods should remain a priority. Including fruit, like strawberries, as part of everyday meals can keep you energized and healthy to tackle all the activities in our busy weeks.

One recipe that makes a great on-the-go breakfast or snack is my Strawberry Overnight Oats. Make several of these and you’ve got yourself a tasty and convenient breakfast for the week! Made with whole foods including sweet strawberries, rolled oats, chia seeds, Greek yogurt and honey, this recipe is one that will help keep you eating right all month (and all year!) long.

It’s not always easy to get our kids to eat in the morning, especially before school. When my kids were smaller, I was always trying to think of healthy grab-n-go snacks they could munch on in the car going to, or coming from, school.

With some of us still getting adjusted to the new school year, we want to share the kinds of healthy, kid-friendly snacks and beverages that fit into the category of grab-n-go, and healthy. For example, a few weeks ago we shared this natural strawberry milk by nutritionist Anne Mauney.

Our latest recipe for healthy strawberry cookies was created by busy mom and dietitian Mitzi Dulan, the author of The Pinterest Diet. She raved about how much her daughters love these cookies. That’s a good sign!

These cookies are easy to make and can easily be frozen in for the convenience of just grabbing a couple at a time for early mornings, or after school snacks.

When I was a kid, I used to LOVE strawberry milk. Thinking about it now, I kind of cringe – tons of sugar, artificial color and flavor, and who knows what else. But then I thought – why not create a healthy homemade version of our old classic favorite, this time using real strawberries? Just in time for back to school season, too!

Unlike the processed strawberry milk on the market, this creamy, delicious version includes real California strawberries. Strawberries have more vitamin C than an orange and are packed with essential vitamins, dietary fiber, potassium and health-promoting phytochemicals. In fact, did you know that research suggests eating just 1 cup of strawberries a day may improve heart health, lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of some cancers and support brain function? Sweet. Now that is an after school snack everyone can feel good about!

For a unique take on strawberry milk, this recipe is actually dairy free and made with homemade cashew milk! Have you ever tried to make cashew milk at home before? Turns out it’s quite easy – all you need are cashews, water, and a high speed blender! The first step is to soak the cashews in water overnight so they become soft and are more easily blended. The next morning, simply drain them and rinse. Then, you are ready to make cashew milk!

Pop the softened cashews into a blender with more water (full recipe details below), and blend until smooth (usually a couple minutes). Then, add your strawberries and a little pure maple syrup to taste. If you’d like the milk sweeter, add a full tablespoon of maple syrup. For less sweet, try a half tablespoon. Up to you! Blend another couple minutes until smooth.

Depending on how efficient your blender is, you may want to strain the strawberry milk before serving. This is optional!

Serve cold and enjoy! This creamy and slightly sweet treat will make a great healthy afternoon snack for both kids and parents. Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for about a week; just shake it before serving in case settling occurs.

If you’re not feeling the cashew milk thing, don’t have cashews on hand, or don’t want to wait until tomorrow to make this recipe (because the cashews need overnight soaking), feel free to simply make this recipe using whole milk or any store bought alternative milk (like almond or soy milk). Just skip steps 1 and 2 of the recipe, and add about 3 cups of your choice of milk to the blender with the strawberries and pure maple syrup. The possibilities are endless!

Before working for California strawberry farmers I’d never thought of using strawberries in savory dishes very much. Sure I’d had salads with strawberries, but I had not yet tried anything more adventurous than that. If I hadn’t done so, I might’ve never tried strawberry & avocado tostadas.

A couple years ago while at a blogger event in San Francisco, I tasted Italian rice balls with a strawberry compote stuffing instead of the more traditional tomato sauce. It was one of those moments when you can honestly say to yourself, or anyone in the vicinity, “I think this is the best thing I ever ate.”

Since that time I’ve done a lot of experimenting in my own kitchen, and at work. Part of my job requires putting together events that showcase the versatility of strawberries, and sometimes that means challenging chefs to come up with unique ways to serve strawberries. I’ve had the pleasure of tasting creations like baby back ribs with strawberry barbecue sauce, strawberry flatbread pizza with balsamic glaze, strawberry nachos, strawberry and prawn spring rolls – and the list goes on.

This recipe for strawberry and avocado tostadas is a good starter recipe for those looking to experiment with new ways to enjoy strawberries. Like me, you might also be pleasantly surprised at how delicious strawberries can be when added to savory dishes.

Heat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. In large bowl, mix together strawberries, jicama, cilantro, peppers and lime juice. Add avocados; fold together gently. Season with salt. Arrange tortillas on oven rack in one layer. Toast about 10 minutes or until crisp and starting to brown. Mound 1 cup strawberry mixture in center of each tortilla. Sprinkle each tostada with chili powder and 1 tablespoon queso fresco. Garnish with 1 cilantro sprig and 1 lime wedge.